1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording foods or medicines by scanning for analysis. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording information associated with for foods or medical commodities for indicating a caution to their consumer. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for relating recorded information with consumption data by amount or interaction data indicating when a user should be aware of possible adverse interactions. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for relating scanner-generated data with a database uniquely related to a particular individual for consumption information, particularly related to amounts and quantities of consumed goods. Data collection may be made by a barcode scanner, while data transmission may be hard-wired or wireless, such as by global positioning system (GPS) transmission.
2. Description of Related Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,735, assigned to the applicant of this application, a portable autonomous electronic device is described, along with a method of use. The device contains a barcode scanner, a nutrition facts database, a memory for recording products consumed, and a readout display. The device thus permits a consumer to scan barcodes on purchased food items to record consumption and to preserve and report a cumulative total of calories and other consumables.
There remains a need from a consumer""s viewpoint for providing other types of medically related information, from the food contents of an item purchased, to a wide variety of personal situations. For example, food allergies often exist to an item, such as peanuts, which can trigger severe and sometimes fatal allergic or asthmatic reactions when the item is not readily recognized as being present. As a simple example, a cooking oil may have a peanut oil base unknown to the user. It would thus be convenient if foods generally could be related to such allergies initially at a point of purchase as well as at the time of consumption.
There also remains a need from a consumer""s viewpoint to scan food items that do not necessarily have barcodes. Many food labels do not have barcodes, instead having other types of data such as text or handwriting.
Databases are known which contain medically related information that permits a consumer ready access. One such database permitting a search of a large number of different health areas is known as xe2x80x9cHealthlink USAxe2x80x9d. In general, such databases are encyclopedic in nature primarily conveying information. However, there exists at least one disease specific database for persons having celiac disease or gluten intolerance that contains a list of gluten-free foods. Users of the database thus make purchase/no purchase decisions on the basis of the presence or absence of gluten in a food of interest.
A second shortcoming in the prior approach to using product information relates to medicine-to-medicine interactions, which can be fatal. Such programs are available to a pharmacist or supermarket for indicating by specific drug information, whether generic or brand name, what precautions and interactions might exist. For example, a person taking a Coumadin brand blood thinner should be warned against additionally taking quantities of aspirin, which can exist in other forms such as cold medicines. Thus, it would be convenient if such medicine-to-medicine interactions could be indicated by scanning and using barcode information now readily available for inventory control by pharmacists and supermarkets. Moreover, it would be convenient if such interaction databases were tailored for an individual""s specialized needs.
Still a third shortcoming in the prior art, now emerging as an area of public health interest, relates to a food/medicine interface. Recently, seemingly innocuous food items, such as grapefruits and grapefruit juice, have worried some reporting services as either increasing or decreasing human uptake of certain medicines. Whether the effect is enhanced, leading to risky over-medication situations, or inhibited, leading to equally risky under-medication possibilities has, as far as reasonably known, not been related by the use of product information for the convenience of individuals.
In addition, the use of such collected information for conveniently scheduling ingestion by a patient or individual of information stored should enhance taking medicines on time and in a correct quantity.
Finally, a use of the invention currently perceived as useful is in a collection of information for use by healthcare individuals of information from repetitive scans by consumers. Thus, an improvement in a medical situation might more readily be related to food or medicine contents by use of barcode scanning.
A basis for this invention is the notion of relating scanned data information for products and commodities to a database of information related to the product, such information being of interest to a consumer. The type of information in the database may be encyclopedic, collected, or accumulated information intended to provide sub-information to the consumer according to the consumer""s interest. The information can be scanned from barcodes, or text, or handwriting using an optical scanner. In its broadest aspect, the invention is directed to a recording device for food items or medication intake, where the items are identified by means of a scanner, such as but not limited to, a barcode scanner. The device records the scanned data, the serving size (set by the user), and the time and date of consumption in memory. Optionally, a UPC barcode is used to extract from database information related to the item such as the product name, the brand name, and the recommended or default serving size, nutrients and chemical components included in the product, and manufacturing processes that could affect the health of the user. Consumption schedules are optionally set for each individual item and are stored in memory. This latter option is used to indicate or to warn the user when consumption of items is required or to monitor over/under consumption of some items from a dietary point of view.
In another aspect of the invention, the recording device identifies food items by scanned data, such as, but not limited to, data from a barcode scanner. The database contains information about the recorded food items, while the memory preferably contains profile data about the consumer. Such profiled information may typically include allergic reactions to shellfish, peanuts, whole milk, yeast-based items, and other foodstuffs for which allergic contra-indications are made relative to a particular consumer. At another level, the database includes information about food contents and quantity sufficient to institute a warning, such as the number of milligrams of iodine in a particular shellfish portion and the number of portions.
In still another aspect of the invention, the recording device identifies medicines, such as prescriptions, by its scanned data. The database contains information about the medicine, and about other medicines ingested by the consumer, either input directly or as a result of prior scans. Such profiled information is then used to indicate, by such scanned information, typical or specific medicine-to-medicine interactions. By the term xe2x80x9cspecificxe2x80x9d, it is intended to include reactions from a medicine or specific drug information pertinent to the individual and stored into the memory for comparison with the scanned data.
In still another feature of the invention, the device proceeds as aforementioned to scan foods and medicines. The memory includes a database of information interrelating adverse or possibly adverse interface reactions between foods and medicines as seen according to the barcodes.
In yet another feature of the invention, collected information is transferred from the handheld or palmtop computer to a larger centralized computer storage facility to collect information suitable for public health services. Such information would be available with the permission and consent of the individual. This information can be transferred via a physical connection, or can be transferred between a hand-held or palm-top computer and a larger computer through a wireless interface, including but not limited to a GPS link to determine location of the information transferred, or its source.
According to any of the aforementioned aspects of the invention, there are significant advantages. The device scans the product information to identify items so that no typing or manual input is needed. The consumer or user is able to extract from a database in RAM any pertinent item information, such as name, brand, content, nutritional information, and the like and to display such information to check the accuracy and desirability of the product scanned. By way of a simple example, a user at a supermarket selecting peanut oil may wish to scan the label of the item to see if the device produces an adverse warning against the purchase according to the stored information.
The method and apparatus of the invention allow one to set the serving size consumed to track more precisely the items consumed and the amount, so that adverse reactions and interactions according to amount can be obtained. By way of an example, a person limited to two (2) mg of salt per day for blood pressure reasons, using the device on a real time basis according to amount of scanned food consumed, is better informed about the content of foods and when such foods consumed may reach the preferred salt limit.
By use of the device and method according to the invention, a user is able to record, over a long period of time, consumed items, the consumed serving size, time, date, and location of consumption. In a typical use of the invention, it is able to warn the user when consumption time, such as for medicines, is due, or warn the user when over/under consumption occurs. In addition, the user may store a user medical profile to detect potential allergy or incompatibility with consumed items, and to warn again of food and drug interference. Moreover, the user may later download by means of an interface the recorded information for further analysis; in this respect, a significant advantage for the invention is its use for compiling data over selected periods of time, either for personal information or the information of others such as medical practitioners or public health officials. Moreover, the use of removable memory (PCMCIA SRAM or Flash Memory Cards) to store databases makes it convenient to either change or update the databases.
Finally, the clock can be adjusted. In still another aspect of the invention, data transmission between a scanner, a database, and a central data collection facility may be wireless, and may store any other pertinent information available using a GPS system. In a typical example, the location of consumption can be collected by such scanned information to amass geographical data of interest to later analysis.
These and other objects, features, advantages, and uses of the method and apparatus according to the invention will also become apparent from a detailed review of the drawings and the description of the preferred embodiments that follow.